Leclerc challenges Verstappen for pole position in Singapore

Verstappen could not keep up with Leclerc’s time throughout the session and had to cancel his last fastest lap attempt. run out of gas. Leclerc was the fastest ever this weekend and was chased by Red Bull with a time of 1.49.412, but only behind Sergio Pérez, who finished 22,000, and not Verstappen. In addition, Lewis Hamilton, who was third in 54 thousand, showed his best performance and patted the pole. A very difficult season for the seven-time champion Your Mercedes.

Carlos Sainz, who led free practice on Friday, made two mistakes in the last minutes and He couldn’t improve himself in his last match. He finished fourth, less than two-tenths behind teammate Leclerc, and ahead of Fernando Alonso, who shined again at the wheel of an improved Alpine.

Q1: Even harder

If the Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore is already one of the most complex on the calendar, then – too fast, too tight spaces and walls too close– added rain difficulty boost recorded in the last hours. Qualifications were held on dry ground, but there was some moisture on the track, meaning that most riders chose to start with a break.

Leclerc, who dominated the third free practice with more water on the asphalt, also started ahead in ‘quality’, Although Sainz is third in tenth behind Verstappen and Pérez. Hamilton cut Leclerc’s time by almost 1 second by setting the fastest time (1.53,161) with the new set of tires.

Fernando Alonso suffered at the start but managed to advance to the next round in ninth place, unlike teammate Esteban Ocon, who was one of the five drivers eliminated in the first pick. Bottas, Ricciardo and two Williams from Albon and Latifi.

Q2: Russell, KO

As track conditions improve, Leclerc and Verstappen began to sharpen their ‘claws’. The Monegasque Ferrari driver, who took part in a slight escape off the track in the first quarter, climbed to the top of the timeline (1.52.343), while Max was ‘flying’ in the first sector but lost in the second. was almost four out of ten.

With five minutes left, it was necessary to decide whether to play with slicks. a layout that doesn’t have much margin for error and is still slippery. The sidekicks didn’t need to take risks, but only if Aston Martin, Stroll and Vettel, as well as Zhou (Alfa Romeo) dared with the soft ones.

The strategy didn’t work and all three were left out of the third quarter. Mick Schumacher and a great George Russell, Hamilton finished second as he left Mercedes without one of his number two. Fifth and sixth place, Alonso and Sainz continued their expectations, moving into the third quarter without too much trouble.

S3: ninth pole for Leclerc

No excuses, the pole fight has already started on the soft tyres, except for Tsunoda and Magnussen, who chose to continue on the intermediate tyres from the very beginning. From the Red Bull box, they warned Verstappen to save ‘powder’ for his final offense: “The best track conditions will finally come”, they radioed him. Frankly, it was not an easy situation to manage, as the areas of the track were still complex. Alonso took first place (1.52.5) but Hamilton and Leclerc overtook him to stay on temporary pole with a better time (1,51,019) for the British driver.

Verstappen brushed the wall in his penultimate lap and was three-tenths behind Lewis, who rolled onto the track. Defeating Leclerc (1.49.412) and Pérez (1.49.434) was not enough and the Briton had to consent. third on the grid, in front of two Spaniards, Sainz and Alonso. Max had to cancel his last attempt because he ran out of gas and will start in eighth tomorrow.

Coming to Singapore with a 116-point advantage over Leclerc, the Dutchman must win in a fast lap and his opponent finish eighth or worse to win their second world title earlier this Sunday. in the absence of five grand prizes. If he wins without the fastest lap and Charles is 9th or worse, that works for him too. It doesn’t look easy, but anything is possible in an always unpredictable F1 and high-risk circuit.